Zachary A Bitner

I started with a vision spawned from challenging perceptions of how far we can push our modern materials. My designs fall within the trend of new primitive design. Why does modern design have to be shiny and “new”? The Modern movement, arguably, happened a century ago. If you had a piece from that time it would still have that “new” aesthetic, but would also have immense character derived from use. These concepts, a fondness of mid-century design and large cement structures, lead to the shapes of my current body of work. 

Zachary A. Bitner is the founder of Zachary A. Design and creator of the Van Dyke Series of durable furniture. Zachary received a BFA in Furniture Design from The Savannah College of Art and Design in 2002. Since then he has immersed himself in the art of mold-making. 

In 2009, the first Van Dyke chair was conceived by working with the terrazzo-like technique of mixing coarse aggregate with a malleable substrate. The result is a finish that is unique to each piece, none exactly the same, that looks like a heavy piece of stone or cement. 

Made of fiberglass and stone, the all-weather Van Dyke series chairs look like they were carved from a block of concrete, yet are a fraction of the weight.  These pieces seem as though they have been around for decades, showing age and wear, adding interest and story--without the usual required time. 

Zachary has designed additional pieces including a love seat and coffee table. These pieces as well as more finish options are expected to be revealed in 2011.